This walk is only just outside the London boundary and yet the first part through the open valleys and woodland of Marden Park feels completely rural. There are several places on the North Downs Way between Oxted Downs and Gravelly Hill which would make good picnic spots; the fine views just about compensate for the incessant grumbling from the M25 below.

The section along the Greensand Way from Godstone to Oxted is quite different, with attractive villages and greens. The landscape here is dotted with ponds, interesting churches and plenty of pubs.

There is a long but gradual ascent at the start, followed by several up and down stretches along the ridge of the North Downs before the descent into Godstone. The early sections along the ridge can be muddy, but you can avoid much of this by taking the morning short cut. The afternoon section along the Greensand Way only has a few gentle inclines.

Additional Notes

The start of the Main Walk was changed in 2015 to take advantage of a new permissive path between the two parts of Marden Park Woods, reducing the stretch along the North Downs Way which overlooks the M25. However, the original directions have been retained as an alternative route.

Walk Options

There are alternative routes for both the start and finish of the Main Walk, allowing you to do a slightly longer or shorter walk respectively. In addition, the directions include two short cuts which reduce it by up to 2½ km.

Directions are also given for a Short Walk. This takes the alternative morning route to South Hawke and then descends immediately into Old Oxted for lunch, omitting Godstone. The Main Walk's two afternoon routes then make up an (optional) afternoon loop out to Tandridge.

Transport

There is a half-hourly service from Victoria to Woldingham and Oxted, journey time 32 minutes. Buy a day return to Oxted, which is one stop further down the line. Oxted also has an hourly fast service to London Bridge (Mon–Sat).

There are several useful bus routes from Godstone Green if you want to finish the Main Walk after lunch. Metrobus 400 runs hourly to Caterham and Redhill (two-hourly Sun); Southdown 409 runs hourly (Mon–Sat) to Caterham; Southdown 410 runs hourly (Mon–Sat) to Oxted and Redhill.

If driving, Woldingham station car park costs £5 Mon–Sat, £2 Sun & BH (2017). At weekends parking space is also available in Church Road.

Suggested Train

Take the train nearest to 09:50 from Victoria to Woldingham for the Main Walk. If you take the next one, you could do the morning short cut to catch up a group on the earlier train. For the Short Walk, take the train nearest to 10:50.

Train Times

Lunch

The Main Walk route passes Godstone Vineyards (01883-744590) in mid-morning, but check whether its cafeteria is open before detouring there for refreshments. The suggested place to stop for lunch is Godstone, 9½ km along the main route, which has three pubs and a tearoom around its large village green. The Hare & Hounds (01883-742296) serves typical pub food; the alternatives are the White Hart Beefeater (01883-742521) and the more up-market Bell Inn (01883-741877). Opposite the Hare & Hounds, light lunches are available at the Green Rooms of Godstone (01883-740407).

The Barley Mow (01883-713770) in Tandridge is well-placed for a mid-afternoon break, and this pub is also a possible lunch stop on the Short Walk. The main choices for this variation, however, are in Old Oxted, another village with three pubs close together on its short High Street. The suggested place is the Crown Inn (01883-717853), with the alternatives being the Old Bell (Chef & Brewer, 01883-712181) and the George Inn (01883-713453).

Tea

There are several cafés and coffee shops in the main part of Oxted. Two possible tea places in Station Road West are Robertsons at #42 (01883-712777; open daily to 5pm), a specialist coffee shop with a small tearoom at the back; and Café Papillon at #54 (01883-717031; nominally open to 5pm Mon–Sat, 2pm Sun, but may stop serving earlier).

If these are closed there are some chain coffee shops in Station Road East, on the other side of the station; eg. Caffè Nero at #139 (01883-730220; open to 6pm Mon–Sat, 5pm Sun). There is also a conveniently placed JD Wetherspoon's pub right next to the station, the Oxted Inn (01883-723440).

Turn right out of the station onto Church Road. In 500m turn right at Church Road Farm and follow the bridleway along the side of a valley to Woldingham School.

Leave the station through the entrance to its car park and turn sharp right up Church Road. There is a board on the left with a map of Marden Park1 and the Woldingham Countryside Walk2 (WCW). Go along this lane for 500m to Church Road Farm, with fields up to your left and the railway in a cutting on your right.

Just before the farm buildings, with a partly-concealed WCW signpost on the left, turn right onto a bridge across the railway. The track bends left past some modern cottages to reach Marden Park Farm. Keep ahead past the farm buildings, ignoring footpaths off to both sides. This bridleway now goes S between hedges for 1 km, rising gently above the valley on your right.

Ignore a path off to the left signposted to South Hawke and continue downhill past the buildings of Woldingham School. After passing a small cemetery on the left there is a footpath ahead leading into a field where the driveway turns right.

Unless you want to take a short cut along the school's driveway, follow the footpath up the side of the valley and into Marden Park Woods. Take any route through them towards the south-west corner. Turn right and go back down into the wood to find a permissive path around the back of Chaldons Farm into the other part of Marden Park Woods. Join the North Downs Way (NDW) to reach South Lodge.

The main route meanders through some attractive woodland in the valley ahead, but if you are in a hurry you could take the short cut along the school's driveway in §2b.

Main route (2¾ km)

Go over the stile and follow a grassy path along the left-hand side of the long valley, climbing gently. At the top of the slope keep left and go through a wooden kissing gate into Marden Park Woods3. Turn right onto the woodland path, initially heading SE.

Follow the main path for 400m, ignoring a couple of side paths off to the left (unless you want to explore the maze of twisty paths through this Open Access wood). You come to a major path junction in front of a large beech tree where you fork right, ignoring a broad path off to the left and a WCW marker ahead. In 150m you go past a deep marl pit4 on the right, one of several in the wood.

Up the slope on your left there is a Woodland Trust signpost and a simple route is to go up to it and turn right onto a potentially muddy bridleway; in 200m you would go out past a wooden gate towards a lane and then immediately turn right through a gap in a wooden fence, back down into the wood.

For a more pleasant (and slightly shorter) route, keep ahead past the marl pit on a clear but meandering path which stays fairly close to and slightly below the bridleway. In 150m it veers right and comes to a path junction where you turn right (away from a wooden fence which you should be able to see at the top of the slope on your left; this is the way down from the simpler route).

Follow this path down through the wood, heading roughly NW and curving gently to the left. In 150m veer left through a wooden barrier onto a signposted permissive path into woodland belonging to Chaldons Farm (if you miss this turning, the path soon comes to a dead end at a fence in front of a field).

You will be following a clear path for 500m through this wood. In about 150m it bends left and climbs back up the slope, heading roughly S and soon with a more open area visible off to the left. After a similar distance it turns right at a “Path” sign and goes back downhill again. At the edge of the wood the path veers left, then finally turns right to emerge in the corner of a small field at the head of a valley. Continue alongside a low hedge and go between wooden posts on the far side into another part of Marden Park Woods.

Turn right onto a woodland path and in 100m fork left at a path junction. In a further 100m there is another fork with a signpost for the North Downs Way5 (NDW) ahead on the left-hand path; you could join it here but the suggested route is to take the right-hand path. This permissive path runs parallel to the NDW for 200m, past a row of magnificent beech trees. At the end, veer left at a Y-junction and turn right onto the NDW.

The NDW soon comes out at a clearing with a bench and views of Godstone and Tilburstow Hill, then drops steeply downhill to leave Marden Park through a gap in the fence. The path merges with a track from the left and meets a driveway from the right (the short cut route) in front of South Lodge.

Short cut (1¼ km)

For the short cut, follow the drive down to the right. At the bottom of the slope turn left through the school gates and simply follow the school's driveway all the way to South Lodge, past playing fields and then farmland. At the end turn right onto the North Downs Way.

Turn right out of the station onto Church Road. Go along this lane and then a track for just over 1 km. Turn right onto a footpath, which goes over the railway tunnel and up through a wood. Turn left at a T-junction, then fork right towards South Hawke. Cross Gangers Hill road there and turn right onto the North Downs Way (NDW) to reach a viewpoint on Oxted Downs.

Keep ahead past the farm buildings onto an unsurfaced lane. In 300m ignore footpaths off to both sides, but at a WCW signpost in a further 300m, veer right down a few steps and go over a stile. The path heads slightly away from the lane and then zig-zags right and left over the entrance to a railway tunnel. Follow the path S for 600m as it goes gently uphill through a mossy wood.

After a final climb you come to a T-junction marked by a three-way signpost. Turn left, then in 100m take a right fork signposted to South Hawke, now heading SE. Great Church Wood is on your left, and soon there are views across the valley on your right. In 1 km, just after a gate into Marden Park Woods on your right, the path ends at South Hawke car park on Gangers Hill road.

Cross this narrow road carefully and descend a flight of steps opposite (slightly to the right). Turn right at the bottom of the steps onto the North Downs Way5 (NDW), heading SW. After 150m there is a bench at the top of Oxted Downs from which to admire a fine view6 to the SE, with the Greensand Hills behind the towns of Oxted and Limpsfield.

For the Short Walk, omitting Godstone and going directly to Old Oxted, go to §10.

Continue on the NDW, later rejoining Gangers Hill road. Turn left into Tandridge Hill Lane and take a path alongside it downhill and round to the right, then back uphill. Cross a road and go through a wood to a clearing, then steeply downhill to South Lodge.

Continue SW on the NDW. 75m after the bench, ignore a bridleway ahead into the woods, but follow the main path round to the right and uphill. It then turns left to run alongside Gangers Hill road. The path ends at a four-way sign; ignore the footpaths off to both sides and continue along the road for 75m to a junction.

Turn left briefly onto the single-track road (Tandridge Hill Lane) going downhill, then veer right onto a signposted footpath. Follow this path as it goes downhill, slightly above and away from the road. Eventually the path descends a few steps and goes alongside the road for a short distance. Go through a metal kissing gate and bear right onto the signposted bridleway into Hanging Wood.

The bridleway climbs gradually, with a small field on the right, then meets a road (Gangers Hill again). Cross over the road, go up steps opposite and through a wooden barrier. Head NW along a clear path through the woods, turning half-left after 250m at a NDW signpost. In a further 200m the main route (which has been on a parallel permissive path) joins from the right.

Head west on the NDW, with the option of a detour via Godstone Vineyards. Cross the A22 and continue through a wood to the viewpoint at Gravelly Hill.

Head W along the NDW (which the main route follows all the way to Gravelly Hill). The track bends left and right, then passes a vineyard7 and some cottages on the left. At the end of the fence on your left the NDW turns left, as indicated by a four-way footpath signpost.

If you want to detour to Godstone Vineyards (which has a cafeteria), follow the route in §5b.

Main route

Turn left to stay on the NDW. The path goes down steps alongside the fence and curves right to meet a lane (the continuation of the track you were on). Cross over onto the footpath opposite, going up a few steps and following the potentially muddy path as it curves left and then right. 200m from the lane the path drops down to merge with a sunken byway from the left.

Route via Godstone Vineyards (+1¼ km)

For the detour, keep ahead at the signpost and follow the lane downhill and round to the left, passing a large storage facility. In 350m the lane merges with a byway from the right (your return route). On reaching a fishing lake turn left for the vineyard, which is a further 300m along this access road.

Afterwards, retrace your steps down the access road and turn right. In 125m fork left onto the byway, rejoining the main route from a path on the right after 300m.

Go along the byway for 150m. Soon after open fields appear on the right, turn left and cross a field to a footbridge over the A22. Go across it and turn left into a wood, following the NDW sign. The path twists round to the right and then climbs a short flight of steps where you turn left at the top. Soon there is another flight of steps and again you turn left at the top.

The path now straightens out and heads SW for 400m, then bends right and goes up a short slope. In 200m bear left to come out onto an open patch of ground alongside Gravelly Hill road, with a fine view towards the South Downs.

Continue on the NDW, bearing left onto a path going downhill through an avenue of trees. Leave the NDW by forking left twice, which leads to a farm road going over the M25. On the other side, go past the Orpheus Centre and take the second footpath on the left. Go across a field, through trees and past some disused reservoirs into Godstone.

Continue W alongside the road, taking either of two paths half-left into the trees at the end of the open ground (they soon merge). This becomes an attractive path going gently downhill between yew trees. After 400m fork left (leaving the NDW), now going more steeply downhill, and at the next junction again take the left fork. This track continues downhill, eventually coming out onto a farm road in front of the M25.

Turn left and follow the road S onto a bridge across the motorway, which leads to the Orpheus Centre8. Ignore a footpath on the left 50m after these buildings, but in a further 75m go over a stile on the left at a second footpath sign. Turn half-right and head SE across the field towards a wood.

Cross a works access road in front of the wood and follow an enclosed path through the trees, with security fences and plenty of forbidding notices to discourage access to the disused reservoirs on both sides. At the end the path enters a field and heads towards some houses; leave the field through a gate and turn right to reach Godstone9 green.

On the left are two possible lunch stops on opposite sides of the main road, the Hare & Hounds pub and the Green Rooms of Godstone. To reach the others cross the A25 carefully and head SE on the village green alongside the road: the White Hart Beefeater is on the other side of the road near the village pond; the Bell Inn is just past the end of the green.

Leave Godstone on a path to the right of the White Hart, which goes past Bay Pond and comes out onto Church Lane. Go through the churchyard onto a path which winds past Glebe Water and eventually up to a large field. Turn right and follow the path round to the left past some past old stables. Turn right to go between Leigh Place Ponds, then zig-zag left and right past Leigh Mill House to meet the Greensand Way (GW). Turn left and follow the GW up to and across the A22, then across farmland for nearly 1 km to Tandridge Lane. Turn right briefly onto the road and continue on the GW around the back of the Barley Mow.

Leave Godstone by a tarmac path heading E to the right of the White Hart, signposted to the Parish Church. You pass to the right of White Hart Barn, then the large Bay Pond10 comes into view on the left. The path eventually reaches Church Lane, opposite St Nicholas' church11.

A short detour to the right would take you to the attractive mock-Tudor St Mary's almshouses; the houses are private but the beautiful little chapel (on your left as you go in) is open to the public.

Enter the churchyard and pass to the right of the church. The path bears right and goes gently downhill12. Leave the churchyard and continue in the same direction along a narrow path which bends around Glebe Water. At the end of the pond the path turns right and then curves left uphill in front of a strange avenue of tightly-packed conifers. Go across a field and continue on a path through a small copse.

On reaching an open field, turn right and go down the side of the field, heading S. Bear right past a gate with a redundant stile to leave the field, joining a bridleway coming in from the right. Follow this track round to the left in front of some old stables.

50m after the stables, turn right at a footpath sign and go over a stile. This leads downhill to a path between Leigh Place Ponds, although the larger pond is now screened behind a high wooden fence. At the end of the smaller pond turn left to walk alongside it. In 75m turn sharp right to go past Leigh Mill House and down to a T-junction, where you turn left to join the Greensand Way13 (GW).

Follow this path gently uphill, heading E with a fence on your right. At the top of the rise keep ahead to meet the A22 and cross this busy road with great care. On the far side the GW continues through farmland for 900m, at first gently uphill and then across a dip where you go through a gap in some trees.

The path eventually comes out between houses onto Tandridge Lane. Cross the road and turn right to go past the Barley Mow. Turn left onto a footpath (imaginatively named The Walk) going past its “Ramblers Rest” bar and beer garden. 100m after turning left, the path forks.

To take the alternative afternoon route along the Greensand Way, go to §9.

Fork left (leaving the GW) to return to Tandridge Lane. Continue along the road (detouring through St Peter's churchyard to see its yew tree), then take a footpath on the right which leads up to and across a golf course. On the other side of the course, turn right onto a tarmac path above the A25 and continue along the old Godstone Road into Old Oxted.

At the junction fork left (leaving the GW) and follow the path back to Tandridge Lane. Head N on the road and keep right at a minor road junction. Just past this, bear right onto a tarmac path leading to St Peter's church14. The church itself is usually locked but standing alongside it is the magnificent Tandridge Yew15, one of the largest and oldest trees in England.

Turn left between the yew tree and the church to rejoin Tandridge Lane, then almost immediately bear right onto a footpath through a small copse. At the end of the trees, cross a driveway and pass through a kissing gate into a field. Follow the path uphill to another gate, which leads you onto a golf course.

The path heads NE, slightly downhill through trees. Keep ahead where these end, aiming just to the left of a house. Take the tarmac drive which starts alongside the house and follow it all the way through the golf course. After crossing the club's access road and leaving the course, turn right onto a tarmac path above the A25.

The path soon descends and later curves away from the main road, following the course of the old Godstone Road. A slip road from the A25 joins from the left and you continue to a crossroads in the centre of Old Oxted, which has several pubs if you want to break for refreshment.

Fork right, staying on the GW. Follow it over the brow of a small hill and down to meet a track coming in from the left. Turn right and go along the bridleway for about 1¼ km to reach Broadham Green Road.

At the junction fork right onto a narrow footpath to the right of a hedge, following the GW waymarker. The path soon curves round to the right and enters a field, heading E. After the brow of a small hill the path bears left and descends to meet a track coming in from the left.

Head E along the bridleway, mostly between trees but sometimes with views on the right across farmland to the High Weald. The track can be muddy, but if necessary you can veer off it to the right in some places. In 800m you join a tarmac driveway going gently downhill, then in 200m go straight across the driveway to Oxted Place. After a further potentially muddy 200m you come out between houses onto Broadham Green Road.

Go down the left edge of the field in front of you, then veer right on a path heading steeply down the face of the Downs. Head for a footbridge over the M25 and continue along a bridleway to Barrow Green Road. Go across a field past The Mount and Townland Pond to Sandy Lane. Turn right and go along the lane into Old Oxted.

Looking SE from the viewpoint on Oxted Downs, go through a gate near the left edge of the fence in front of you, signposted as a footpath. Follow a grassy path near the left edge of the field, which later turns half-right to slant steeply downhill across the face of the North Downs.

At the bottom of the slope, go through a kissing gate and continue across a field to another gate, meeting a bridleway coming in from the right. Cross the M25 footbridge – to be greeted by numerous “Private Property” signs – and continue undaunted on this bridleway for 750m. You pass the buildings of Barrow Green Court behind a high security fence on your left, and farm buildings on your right where the path meets Barrow Green Road.

Cross the road and squeeze through a kissing gate onto a footpath between wire fences, still heading SE. You pass The Mount on your right and head towards Townland Pond, which you pass on your right behind a small copse of trees. Turn right onto Sandy Lane and head S along the lane for 200m, passing under the A25 and going up to a crossroads in Old Oxted.

The Old Bell pub on the left here is a possible lunch stop; to reach the others turn left down the High Street. The George Inn is visible up ahead and the suggested place, the Crown Inn, a little further down on the right.

There are more pubs in Tandridge and Oxted further on in the Short Walk.

Head west on the old Godstone Road. Keep ahead on a tarmac path where the road veers right to join the A25. After climbing above the main road, turn left onto a footpath which leads across a golf course. On the other side go down through a field and a copse onto Tandridge Lane. Turn left and enter St Peter's churchyard to see its yew tree.

From any of the pubs, return to the crossroads by the Old Bell and now head W along the old Godstone Road. Where the road veers right to join the A25, keep ahead on the old road which then becomes a tarmac path. This soon meets the main road and starts to climb above it, giving views of the North Downs. Just after the path starts to descend turn left onto a tarmac path, signposted as a footpath.

Go across the golf club's access road and follow the right of way across the course. For most of the way this is a tarmac drive; this soon swings right to head SW, giving views of the High Weald on the left before heading into trees. Where the drive ends in a turning circle beside a house, keep ahead across the grass towards a small copse of trees. This leads onto a broad path through the trees which you follow gently uphill to the edge of the golf course.

Leave the course through a kissing gate and go downhill through a field to another gate. Cross a driveway and continue on a footpath heading slightly left through a small copse, which leads to Tandridge Lane. Turn left briefly onto the road, then keep ahead up a path leading to St Peter's church14. The church itself is usually locked but standing alongside it is the magnificent Tandridge Yew15, one of the largest and oldest trees in England.

Turn right past the old yew tree to return to Tandridge Lane. Unless you want to detour to the Barley Mow, turn left onto a bridleway which curves right and goes downhill to join the Greensand Way (GW). Continue along the bridleway for about 1¼ km to reach Broadham Green Road. Cross over and turn half-left onto a triangular green.

Turn right after the yew tree and leave the churchyard by its main gate to return to Tandridge Lane, where you turn left. Almost immediately there are two driveways on the left, with the second one signposted as a public bridleway.

Turn left off Tandridge Lane onto the second driveway. This soon curves to the right past Tandridge Court Farm shop and goes downhill, heading SE. At the bottom, keep ahead on a track where the driveway veers left. The track then curves left, with the Greensand Way13 (GW) joining from a field on the right.

Route via the Barley Mow (+600m)

To visit the pub, ignore the bridleways and continue along the road, which curves round to the left. 100m after a minor road joins from the right, bear left onto a footpath called The Walk (with an easy-to-miss signpost) going gently downhill between houses and gardens.

In 250m the path bends right where the Greensand Way joins from the left. Continue past the pub's beer garden and round to its “Ramblers Rest” bar. After visiting the pub retrace your steps along The Walk to the fork with the GW.

Cross the road and cut across the green on the left to continue along Tanhouse Lane. Opposite the Haycutter Inn take a footpath heading north across fields to Oxted Mill. Turn right briefly onto Spring Lane, then take a footpath on the left across fields to Woodhurst Lane. Turn left along the road, then in 100m turn half-left onto an enclosed footpath. Go across the A25 and down East Hill Road. Turn right at a roundabout into Station Road West.

Cross the road and turn half-left to go across a small triangular green. In the far corner bear right to continue alongside Tanhouse Lane for 150m. Cross the road opposite the (closed) Haycutter Inn and go over a stile onto a grassy path heading N across three fields. In the last field, the way ahead is over a stile to the left of a large house, along a path between hedges. Follow this out to Spring Lane and turn right.

With the converted Oxted Mill on your right, go to the end of the pond and cross a stile on your left at the weir. Follow the footpath NE across fields, later with a stream and gardens on your left. The path crosses the stream at another weir and then bears right up a driveway to join Woodhurst Lane, where you turn left.

In 100m, at the junction with Woodhurst Park, turn half-left onto a narrow tarmac path between fences, heading N. After climbing steadily for 200m this comes out onto the A25. Cross this busy road carefully and go straight ahead down East Hill Road. Turn right at a roundabout into Station Road West.

There are two possible tea places towards the end of the parade of shops on the right: Robertsons and Café Papillon. The Oxted Inn is on the right of the station entrance. You could also take the pedestrian tunnel under the station and go through a small parking area into Station Road East: Caffè Nero is on the left and there are other coffee shops down the road to the right.

Unless you want to go directly to Oxted station via the High Street and Church Lane, leave Old Oxted by heading south on Beadles Lane. Turn left at the Old School and take a footpath to the right of a driveway which curves round to the right to reach Spring Lane. Turn left past Oxted Mill and take a footpath on the left across fields to Woodhurst Lane. Turn left along the road, then in 100m turn half-left onto an enclosed footpath. Go across the A25 and down East Hill Road. Turn right at a roundabout into Station Road West.

The main route to the station loops round via Oxted Mill, but if you are in a hurry you could take the short cut along roads in §14b.

Main route (2 km)

From the crossroads by the Old Bell, head S on Beadles Lane. In 200m turn left in front of the Old School into Springfield. Where this road bends left, keep ahead on a driveway and in 25m veer right onto a footpath going alongside it. This soon curves round to the right, later with a stream and then a mill pond on the left. Follow the path out to Spring Lane and turn left.

Short cut (1 km)

For a direct route to Oxted station, head E down the High Street. Near the bottom use an underpass on the left to cross the A25 safely and continue along Church Lane. In 600m keep ahead at the roundabout into Station Road West.

Walk Notes

Marden Park and its estate were built up by Sir Robert Clayton, Lord Mayor of London in 1679-80. The original house was replaced in 1879 and the buildings at the centre of the estate are now Woldingham School.

The Woldingham Countryside Walk essentially follows the triangular route defined by Woldingham station, South Hawke and South Lodge, with optional routes into Marden Park Woods. It can be done in either direction.

Marden Park Woods are split into two sites on the North Downs ridge, linked by a permissive path around the back of Chaldons Farm. The woods are owned and managed by the Woodland Trust. On the eastern side, Great Church Wood was once owned by Sir Adrian Boult, the conductor.

Marl is a mixture of clay and limestone, formerly added to sandy soils to improve their fertility.

The North Downs Way runs for 246 km along the length of the North Downs (with two sections at its eastern end), from Farnham in Surrey to Dover in Kent.

The Greensand Hills behind Oxted and Limpsfield are known as the High Chart, while in the distance is the high ground of the Sussex Weald. The prominent redbrick building on the hillside opposite used to be St Michael's school; it closed in 2002 and is now a block of luxury apartments.

Godstone Vineyards have been producing white, rosé and sparkling wines since 1988.

The Orpheus Centre is a performing arts centre for young disabled adults, founded in 1998 by Richard Stilgoe.

Even William Cobbett (normally a stern critic) acknowledged in his classic Rural Rides that Godstone was “a beautiful village”. He was less complimentary of its neighbour, Bletchingley: “happily for Godstone, out of sight”.

Bay Pond used to provide the water power for a large gunpowder factory in the 17thC. It is now managed as a Nature Reserve by the Surrey Wildlife Trust.

St Nicholas, Godstone dates from the 13thC, replacing an earlier Norman church. The north aisle was added in 1845 and the whole church was restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1872-3. He also designed the mock-Tudor St Mary's almshouses alongside St Nicholas.

Off to the left of the churchyard path there is a sarsen stone memorial to Edmund Seyfang Taylor (1853-1908), who under the name Walker Miles wrote and published a series of “Field-Path Rambles”: pocket-sized walking guides for Surrey and Kent which were known for their meticulous attention to detail. He was a founding member of the Federation of Rambling Clubs, which in 1935 became the Ramblers Association.

The Greensand Way follows the course of a sandstone ridge just to the south of the North Downs. It runs for 175 km from Haslemere in Surrey to Hamstreet in Kent.

St Peter, Tandridge dates from around 1100. It was restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 19thC, and there is a marble tomb-monument in the churchyard to his wife (Lady Scott) who died in 1872. The church contains a reproduction of the famous Ghent Altarpiece, by the van Eyck brothers.

The Tandridge Yew is a female tree which still produces berries. It is exceptionally tall and has a girth of 11 metres. Judging by its measured rate of growth it is at least 1,000 years old; some sources speculate that it is much older. There is a yew tree of a similar age in the village of Crowhurst, 4 km south of Tandridge.